Nonwoven abrasive articles generally have a nonwoven web (e.g., a lofty open fibrous web), abrasive particles, and a binder material (commonly termed a “binder”) that bonds the fibers within the nonwoven web to each other and secures the abrasive particles to the nonwoven web. Examples of nonwoven abrasive articles include nonwoven abrasive hand pads such as those marketed by 3M Company of Saint Paul, Minn. under the trade designation “SCOTCH-BRITE”.
Other examples of nonwoven abrasive articles include convolute abrasive wheels and unitized abrasive wheels. Nonwoven abrasive wheels typically have abrasive particles distributed through the layers of nonwoven web bonded together with a binder that bonds layers of nonwoven webs together, and likewise bonds the abrasive particles to the nonwoven web. Unitized abrasive wheels have individual discs of nonwoven web arranged in a parallel fashion to form a cylinder having a hollow axial core. Alternatively, convolute abrasive wheels have a nonwoven web that is spirally wound about and affixed to a core member.